The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for forming a product with a molding machine, and more particularly relates to an apparatus and method for forming a product with a molding machine wherein the product includes a substrate and an overmold material secured thereto.
Molding machines are widely used for forming products. Some molding machines are adapted to form a product having a substrate and an overmold material secured thereto. For example, one molding machine which is able to form such a product is a high performance, high precision, injection molding machine, FS-SE series, sold by Nissei Plastic Industrial Co., Ltd. of Sakaki-machi, Nagano-ken, 389-06, Japan (United States corporate office in Fullerton, Calif. named "Nissei America, Inc."). The above molding machine includes a mold having a molding cavity. The substrate is first positioned in the molding cavity. Then, the overmold material is injected in a molten state into the molding cavity so as to form the product. The product is then allowed to cool and harden. Thereafter, the product is removed from the mold.
One problem which may arise when forming a product with a molding machine, such as the molding machine described above, is deterioration of the substrate due to the substrate being positioned in a path of flow of the molten overmold material during the step of injecting the overmold material into the molding cavity. During such overmold material injecting step, the flow of molten overmold material may contact a portion of the substrate material so as to undesirably erode the substrate.
It would be desirable to provide an apparatus and method for forming a product with a molding machine with the product including a substrate and an overmold material secured thereto, wherein the substrate was not negatively affected during the step of injecting the molten overmold material into the molding cavity of the molding machine. It would also be desirable to achieve the above goal in an inexpensive manner.